Christo's After 5 Crowd: It's about helping out the children

Christo's After 5 Crowd's annual auction to raise money for the Empty Stocking Fund is only five years old, but it already feels like a long-standing tradition.

Every year they greet each other, laugh, talk and get comfortable and then get down to the business of bidding on items.

For them, the auction isn't about owning another memento that collects dust, it's all about providing children of Empty Stocking Fund applicants with gifts for the holidays.

"Kids grow up with the idea that Santa Claus is going to bring them something for Christmas," said LeVerne Potts. "When you don't have the money to buy gifts, how do you explain that to them?"

Potts, a member of the After 5 Crowd, finds items for the auction from local businesses and others.

"It's a good cause," said Kim Davis. "We're helping the needy ones. It's really important to be a part of this."

Auction attendees bid on an entertainment center, clothes, a signed Richard Childress bottle of wine, picture frames, a shop vac and furniture designed by Tony Smith, a supervisor at PPG, who designs furniture as a hobby.

Some of the items on the auction block were donated by Lowe's Hardware, Ellis Jewelers, Gold's Gym, Trade Wind Treasures, RCR, Flawless Hair and Nail Salon, Davidson Plumbing and Fox's discount to name a few.

The auction began among some of Christo's regulars as a community service project, said Tom Shytle, one of the regulars who is credited by some in the group with coming up with the idea.

"All the heads got together and said this is what we want to do," he said. The amount of money raised by the auction will be totaled and reported here in a few days.

All donations to the Empty Stocking Fund are tax-deductible and are used to help local residents in need during this holiday period. The Dispatch assumes 100 percent of the administrative costs to ensure that every donated dollar is used for Davidson County residents.

Contributions may be brought to The Dispatch or mailed to Empty Stocking Fund, The Dispatch, P.O. Box 908, Lexington, N.C. 29293.

Cherriece Wright can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 235, or at cherriece.wright@the-dispatch.com.